Shot over 18 days, I’ll See You in My Dreams is a heartwarming, at times funny and bittersweet film starring Blythe Danner as a widow in her seventies who discovers that life can begin again at any age.
Directed by Brett Haley and written by Haley and Marc Basch, Carol (Blythe Danner) finds the everyday activities that have given her life structure have become monotonous since the death of her beloved dog. With the support of her three long-time girlfriends, Carol decides to take a leap of faith and embark on an unlikely friendship with her pool maintenance man Lloyd (Martin Starr), pursue a new love interest with the handsome and charming Bill (Sam Elliott), and reconnect with her daughter Katherine, played by Malin Akerman.
Haley, a graduate from the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts in 2005, began his film career as an assistant to directors Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) and John Hillcoat (Lawless), and in 2010, directed and wrote his first feature film, The New Year.
In Boston recently to promote the film, Haley spoke to the Banner about the inspiration for I’ll See You in My Dreams, its universal themes and what he’s learned as a filmmaker.
How did the idea for the story come about?
BH: It came about through some questions that I had about life, some big kind of universal questions I think about; mostly about death, mostly about loss and how to deal with those things. And how to put those things in perspective and understand that life is a journey that you can’t get through unscathed, but that it’s also a really beautiful journey and a gift, and it’s really great. It’s about finding that balance. That’s where it came from. It came from some questions that I had and then she came to me. Carol came to me and said, “Hey, I’m the person who should be answering these questions that you have. I can help you the most get through that.” And, I knew. I was like, “Oh, that’s the vessel for this film and these questions.” I’m a curious filmmaker. I’ve never been a filmmaker who likes to make movies about themselves. I’m curious about other people and other types that are very different from me.
Did you have Blythe Danner in mind as you were writing the script?
BH: Not as I was writing it. We wrote it so fast I didn’t even think about it. I was just like writing it. Once we were done, I was like “Who can play this?” And, then I knew that Blythe was only really my first and only choice.
The universal themes of the film are life, love, loss. For someone so young, what prompted you to think about these things?
BH: As you get a little bit older, well, I am young. I think you hit 30 and you’re suddenly like “I can’t drink all night” or “People around me are getting sick or dying.” Animals die. I think up until your twenties you can kind of pretend like nothing ever goes wrong. Some people can really get through unscathed for a long period of time. I think I was one of those people and then I lost a few friends and I lost some family members. We’re so aware of what’s going on in the world too, right now. We’re so plugged in. Ten years ago we were not as plugged in as we are now. Every little tragedy that happens, if we choose to read about it, we can. This world is a very weird and dark place but also it’s a very amazing place. I think as a human being I was thinking a lot about that kind of stuff, just philosophically and spiritually thinking, “Why this?” Those big questions I think that we all ask ourselves. And that’s really where it came from.
Since your first film The New Year in 2010, how have you grown as a filmmaker?
BH: I think I’ve become more decisive. I understand what I’m up against. I understand the world in which I’m operating. I’m not at a David Fincher-level of operating. I’m always in a small world where time is money and we don’t have much time or money. So you better go quick and you better make decisions and you better work with your actors. I put the actors first and I always do. When I was young I was always about the camera, and all about the fun, you know the toys. You realize, I think at some point that none of that matters and all that really matters is the performance. I think being decisive and putting the performance first has been my big lessons as a director.
What do you hope that audiences take away from the film?
BH: I really hope that they take a sense of hope from it. Again, it can be a rough ride but it’s a good one. I hope they laugh and cry. I love laughing and crying in a good movie.
